Google Partners with Travalyst like Booking.com, Expedia and Skyscanner to Measure Airline Emissions To Enhance Aviation Industry – Travel And Tour World

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Google, a key partner in the Prince Harry-founded Travalyst coalition, has been instrumental in developing models to measure airline emissions. Their Travel Impact Model, launched in 2022 with the International Council on Clean Transportation, helps Travalyst partners like Booking.com, Expedia, and Skyscanner publish flight emissions estimates. Major travel platforms such as Google Flights, Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport, and Trip.com Group also utilize this model to inform travelers about the environmental impact of their flights.

Recently, Cirium, an aviation analytics company, introduced the Emerald Sky methodology, which measures emissions and fuel burn down to the seat level. This innovation is geared towards business travel firms, airlines, and aircraft financing companies. While Cirium and Travalyst are fundamentally different organizations, they are seen as complementary. Discussions between Cirium and the International Council on Clean Transportation, which heads Google’s Travel Impact Model advisory committee, are underway to explore collaboration opportunities.

The Travel Impact Model enables travelers using platforms like Google Flights to assess the emissions impact of their choices. For example, a JetBlue flight from Heathrow to JFK might show emissions 13% higher than average, whereas a Lufthansa Airlines /Condor Airlines flight could be 9% lower. “Clear and credible sustainability information is essential for informed decision-making,” said Sally Davey, Travalyst CEO. This consistency builds trust and scales the Travel Impact Model across the Travalyst coalition, allowing users to access uniform flight emissions estimates on platforms such as Amadeus, Booking.com, Expedia, and others.

Cirium’s CEO Jeremy Bowen highlighted that their method measures emissions based on the actual aircraft configuration, providing more precise data compared to generic averages. Cirium sees potential for collaboration with Travalyst if suitable projects arise, despite their different focuses.

Beyond Travalyst, other travel industry entities like HRS use different methodologies for sustainability. HRS, focusing on the hospitality sector, uses the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance methodologies and the HRS Green Stay Initiative to measure carbon footprint data at the property level, aiding sustainable procurement strategies.

These evolving methodologies by Google and Cirium are advancing the accuracy and transparency of airline emissions measurement, fostering better-informed, eco-friendly travel decisions.

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